We forget about team mangers and the roles they play. Often the first ones to the arena on the morning of a game, they have a thankless job that requires a dedication parallel to that of the men who wear the school uniform. Still, they are anonymous to the rest of us.

The motivation behind such a commitment? It’s for each individual to say, but a few former managers have made the most of the opportunity. For example, current Marquette coach Buzz Williams got his start as the manager for Navarro College. Never a player himself, Williams soaked up everything he could as the manager for the Texas school until it got him a spot at the end of the bench as an assistant — literally, a ‘from rags to riches’ story.

Williams’ predecessor, Tom Crean, has given another manager a dream gig. The Indiana coach elevated former manager Mike Santa to the active roster this week. And the 5-foot-9 guard from Huntington, Ind. saw the court in Wednesday’s loss to Northwestern (if only for a minute).

As Crean put it to reporters, Santa and fellow manager Brandon Profitt are often valued contributors during team drill sessions, so why not welcome them to join the ride for the rest of this season. Said Crean, “…they bring a great deal of competitiveness and energy to our practices.” Profitt is currently on ‘injured reserve,’ so no word yet on whether he’ll get to join Santa on the active roster.

It’s part of the image Crean hopes to shape of what an Indiana basketball player is — hard-working, dedicated. Not anyone can be an Indiana manager, and not every Indiana manager will get a dream opportunity like this one — but at Indiana, if you are committed to the program, anything can happen.

Added Crean, “He didn't know until (Tuesday) he was going to do this. And I didn't know until Monday.”

Now we all know Mike Santa because he is wearing a uniform … No. 1, to be precise.

Rising team: Michigan State

Ugly at times, yes, but Michigan State’s two victories this past week were extremely important as they offered a bit of breathing room between Tom Izzo’s club and Purdue. Perhaps more important than that was the performance Izzo received from his youngsters in the ugly win against Iowa. Forward Delvon Roe led all Spartan players with 16 points, followed by guard Korie Lucious’ 12 points — both season highs for the pair of freshmen. And against Wisconsin the Spartans also found heart, rallying in the second half to win by a comfortable margin.

Falling team: Minnesota

Entering its game against Michigan in Ann Arbor last Thursday, Minnesota had lost three of its past four Big Ten games. It was an important game but Tubby Smith’s team didn’t show, falling behind by 22 points at one point. After beginning the year 16-1 (4-1 in the Big Ten), Minnesota now finds itself in a four-way tie with Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin. Thankfully for Gophers fans, the club finished the week strong with a 72-45 win over Northwestern. Still, it might be too late for Smith’s club to make a convincing case for a respectable seed in March.

Player of the week: Jake Kelly, G, Iowa

Kelly has become a memorable star for a forgettable Hawkeye team. He played 45 minutes in the overtime win over Michigan, scoring a season-high 23 points. Kelly also had eight rebounds, nine assists and shot three of six from three-point range in the victory. On Wednesday, Kelly had 20 points in East Lansing to keep Michigan State on its toes. The 6-foot-6 guard has done his part in helping the Hawkeyes to finish a frustrating season on a positive note.

Freshman of the week: Verdell Jones III, G, Indiana

The 6-foot-5 guard from Champaign, Ill. had arguably his best week of the season, even if it was a rocky one for his Hoosier teammates. Jones scored 16 points in last Thursday’s loss to Wisconsin, then matched that total, and chipped in five rebounds and five assists in the team’s road loss to Purdue two days later. Jones has been inconsistent this season but has started to put his game together in the month of February. He still needs some work from the free throw line and beyond the three-point arc, but Jones is becoming one of Indiana’s top scoring threats.

Stats of the week

140: Three-point baskets made by Michigan State this year — lowest in the Big Ten. In terms of accuracy, the Spartans rank sixth, having made just better than 36 percent of their three-point attempts.

32: Points Michigan State collected in the final 12 and a half minutes of its 61-50 win over Wisconsin on Sunday.

17.6: Average margin in Indiana’s three defeats this past week.

They said it

“… You would have to classify us as kind of dysfunctional right now offensively. It's just been a struggle,” — Michigan State coach Tom Izzo after his team’s win over Iowa on Wednesday. The Spartans were out-scored in the second half but held on for an eight-point win.

Key upcoming games

Thursday, February 26
Minnesota at Illinois
Last time these teams met, Illinois managed just 36 points. Bruce Weber’s club has improved since then (at least Illini fans hope that’s true).

Saturday, February 28
Ohio State at Purdue
The Buckeyes’ biggest win of the season came against Purdue on Feb. 3. This time around Robbie Hummel should be in the lineup.

Sunday, March 1
Michigan State at Illinois
The game of the week will give Illinois a chance to boost its favor among bracket shapers. For Michigan State it presents a chance to extend its lead for the regular season title.

Wednesday, March 4
Wisconsin at Minnesota
A critical game for two desperate teams — Wisconsin remains on the bubble, while Minnesota hasn’t done anything special over the past month.

Mike Beacom covers the Big Ten for Athlon

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